New Title: JCCC Cuts English Access After Federal Rules Change

The Challenges of Learning English for Immigrants

Yenifer is determined to learn English, driven by both big and small reasons. She wants to communicate with her brother-in-law, who doesn’t speak Spanish, improve her career prospects, and eventually help her community as an interpreter. On a daily basis, she hopes to enjoy the movie theater again, order in a restaurant, or ask for help at Walmart.

Speaking to The Beacon in Spanish and requesting to be identified only by her first name due to her immigration status, Yenifer shared how attending adult English classes at Johnson County Community College (JCCC) has changed her life. “It’s frustrating when you want to express something and people can’t understand you, or when someone says something to you and you can’t understand. So this has really helped improve my quality of life, my self-confidence.”

Despite her progress, Yenifer faces new challenges. The college recently announced changes to its registration process for adult education programs, which include GED preparation, English language classes, and Accelerating Opportunity: Kansas. These changes require students to submit proof of citizenship or their most recent immigration documents to register.

The decision stems from guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, influenced by an executive order that reinterprets federal law on public benefits. Previously, immigrants who weren't eligible for most public benefits could still access adult education. Now, many, including some with permission to be in the country, won't qualify.

For Yenifer, this is a major setback. She and her husband have been waiting for a U visa, granted to victims of serious crimes who cooperate with the police, for nearly six years. The new policy makes it harder for her to continue her education.

Chris Gray, vice president of strategic communications and marketing at JCCC, stated in an email that the college isn’t speculating on potential impacts to enrollment or explaining federal requirements. However, the federal government recently froze funding for adult education programs before releasing it with “guardrails” to ensure they are not used in violation of executive orders.

While JCCC claims compliance with federal requirements allows them to continue serving qualified individuals, Yenifer feels the policy causes harm by restricting access to education, which she believes should be for everyone.

Who Is Eligible for Adult Education at JCCC?

Daniel Tyx, a former part-time English language instructor at JCCC, questioned whether the college discriminates based on immigration status. He was told, “Absolutely not. We would not do that.” However, after learning about the new policies, he decided to resign, stating, “As a matter of conscience, I can’t work here anymore.”

Tyx estimated that about half of the 800 returning students in the adult English language learner program could be affected by the revised policies. The changes also apply to other adult education programs such as GED prep and Accelerating Opportunity: Kansas.

Although the college links to a list of common immigration documents, it doesn’t clearly state which statuses or documents lead to admission or rejection. At the time of publication, Gray had not responded to a follow-up email asking if there is a list of eligible and ineligible categories.

According to an explainer from the National Immigration Law Center, certain categories of immigrants are typically eligible for public benefits, while others are disqualified. This includes lawful permanent residents, refugees, and asylum seekers, but excludes those with temporary protected status, nonimmigrant visas, or deferred action.

This means that even if Yenifer obtains a U visa, she may not be eligible for classes at JCCC. U visa holders are eventually eligible to apply for a green card.

Logistical Issues and Confusion

Tyx expressed confusion over whether the responsibility lies with JCCC or the federal government. Throughout July, the federal government froze and then unfroze some education funding, including for K-12 students and adult education. The policy also follows a February executive order from President Donald Trump and July guidance from the Department of Education.

He noted that JCCC moved faster to change its policies than similar programs in the area. Tyx said he wasn’t aware of specific instructions the college followed regarding the executive order. “In my ideal world, the college would have pushed back and said, ‘We are not going to take further action until we receive specific guidance from the government about what this means.’”

Instructors faced logistical issues, such as verifying documents and handling student eligibility. Tyx mentioned that immigration lawyer was not in his job description. “Immigration lawyer was not in my job description,” he said.

The Impact of the Changes at JCCC

Many students are devastated by the changes, according to Tyx. Some aim to advance in their jobs, especially those with high-level professional experience in their home countries. Others prepare for the citizenship test, while young people seek to transfer to regular college classes.

“For every student, the impact is different,” Tyx said. “What all the students have in common is that they have invested a lot of time and energy and effort into learning English.”

Students must follow strict attendance requirements, spending about six hours per week in class and two hours on homework. Some study for multiple years. In Tyx’s morning classes, many students come from working the night shift.

“They work all night, and they come to class in the morning, and then they study for three hours and they go home and sleep,” he said. “For some of my students, education is more important than sleeping.”

Immigrants learning English contribute positively to the broader community, becoming more productive employees and bridges between managers and co-workers. “Being able to speak English just opens doors for families, for children, for parents,” Tyx said.

Yenifer now plans to study English online, but she finds it less effective. “I learn a lot more if I go to class, if I have a professor in front of me whom I can ask any questions,” she said.

Not being able to attend class is a setback. “It was a dream, it was a goal to be able to continue learning English and to study something later that could help the community,” she said. “If I can’t study, well, obviously that won’t happen. It’s going to be a lot harder for me to keep learning the language.”